A Dancing Rose for a Sleeping Lion
by Dedlocked
Summary: One Squall is more upset with usual after the loss of him and to cheer him up, Bartz and Zidane take him out to find another As it turns it, love works in mysterious


Squall looked forward as he walked, gloom clear on his face. He'll never know how he ends up getting convinced to do something only Bartz and Zidane wanted him to do. The short and energetic Zidane lead the way down the empty sidewalk beneath the night sky.

Bartz looked directly to his left, right at the man this night was all for, and frowned. Squall's expression was not to Bartzs' liking. "Don't worry," the optimistic man told Squall. "Tonight, you'll forget all about her."

Squall met Bartzs' gaze with one of his own, if only for an instant. "Whatever," Squall exclaimed after bringing his attention forward once more.

It had been exactly thirteen days since Squall's break-up with Rinoa – something that devastated the man. Tonight, Zidane and Bartz had convinced Squall to go with them to their preferred hang out: the bar 7th Heaven. They brought him out for the sole reason of hooking him up with another girl, an idea that didn't sit comfortably with Squall. Regardless, he put his suit on and followed his friends.

Zidane turned around, his pace not slowing in the least, and saw Squall's dim expression; Zidane frowned. "C'mon Squall," Zidane started to convince his pessimistic friend. "It'll be fun," he threw his thumb into Squall's face, "and worth it."

Zidane's ecstatic smile, however, was still not enough to convince Squall, yet he continued to follow anyways.

As the trio entered the bar, Squall's eyes darted across the dimly lit social room. Excluding Tifa, the owner and bartender, everybody was either a young man in a suit or a young woman in a dress. Sitting in one booth, Tidus and Yuffie were locked in conversation; in the other booth Locke and Celes were doing the same thing. At the far left of the bar counter sat Rikku, Yuna and Paine while Cecil and Rosa were enjoying a few drinks on the other side. Tifa, behind the counter, welcomed the three with a smile and a wave.

Zidane and Bartz lead Squall to their usual spot, the corner table where they met their friends. Bartz and Zidane took a seat followed by Squall, who examined the others at the table. Cloud sat next to Aerith across from him, a couple he was familiar with. To his left sat the pink-haired sisters he was not familiar with: Lightning and Serah.

"Well hello Squall," Aerith said to him in a soft voice.

"…" Cloud mustered before looking away and quietly saying "long time no see." He followed this by taking a sip from his drink.

Squall replied with an empty gaze.

"Squall," Zidane said, catching the man's attention. "I don't know if you've met them, but this is Serah and Lightning." Squall looked to the two women, one sat optimistic with a smile, the other one sat back – her arms crossed and her gaze fixed on nothing. For some reason, the way she sat reminded Squall of somebody, but he couldn't put his finger on whom.

"The perky and likeable one is Serah," Bartz said, gesturing towards Serah.

"Hi," Serah said with a smile.

"And the cold and heartless one is Lightning," Bartz finished.

Lightning shot Bartz a dreadful look. "Watch yourself wonder boy." Then she looked to Squall, their eyes met and their thoughts of this night reflected one another's. It was short lived, as the two simultaneously looked away. "Tch," Lightning exclaimed.

"Whatever," Squall finished.

"So we brought Squall out with us tonight to hook him up," Zidane explained to the four, making eye contact with each one.

"Oh?" Aerith started. "Does Rinoa know about this?"

Zidane and Bartz looked at each other before looking back to Squall for an answer.

"We separated," Squall told the innocent girl across from him.

Silence, long and painful, until a soft voice broke it.

"That's a shame," Cloud said without looking up from the table. He took another sip from his drink.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that, Squall…" Aerith said, her eyes glued downwards.

"Cry me a river, lover-boy," Lightning coldly mocked. Serah angrily nudged her sister; "Lightning!"

Squall looked to Lightning, and stopped a moment. Lightning didn't look back, but Squall didn't care, just said: "I don't remember asking your opinion."

The surprised Lightning shot Squall a look. The irritation that blazed behind her eyes was met by the stubborn melancholy that lay behind Squall's. Then, once again, they turned away from each other, the confrontation complete.

Bartz stood and nudged for Squall to follow. Squall took the hinted and walked behind his friend as Bartz approached the counter.

"Hey, Bartz," Tifa happily said from behind the counter.

"Hey, Tifa," Bartz replied. "Two shots of Black Cactuar, if you don't mind.

"Comin' right up," Tifa finished. She then proceeded to turn away and prepare the drinks.

Bartz looked to Squall. "What?" Squall asked impatiently.

"Tonight, the girl for you is Yuna," the optimistic man replied, gesturing across the counter to Yuna and her friends.

Squall glanced at them. "Why Yuna?" he asked.

"Because she and Tidus just broke up and I can guarantee that she's here for the same reason as you are." Bartz explained as Tifa set the glasses of liquid on the counter.

"Why not anyone else?" Squall insisted.

"Ugh!" Bartz shouted in irritation. "Because Rikku and Paine get around, Aerith is with Cloud, Serah's got Snow and Lightning… well I think you got the idea with her." Bartz handed Squall his glass and they slammed them. Bartz patted Squall on the back and flashed him a smile. "Knock 'er dead," he encouraged before taking his leave for the table.

Squall let out a long and dreadful sigh before looking at Yuna. She looked up, made eye contact and smiled – the sign that it was too late to turn back. The brown-haired man approached the brunette and her friends, look directly at her and said: "Hey."

Paine and Rikku shot each other a look and smiled. "We'll see you around, Yuna," Rikku announced before the two strode off.

Squall looked back and was met with Tidus' angry stare. Squall ignored it and sat next to Yuna.

"Hello, Squall," Yuna began. No answer. She continued, "How are you and Rinoa doing?" More silence.

"We broke up," Squall finally said.

"Oh," Yuna softly exclaimed. "I'm sorry."

More silence. Squall glanced back at the table. From where he was sitting, though, the most he could see was Lightning. She was sitting in the exact same position as before. It really reminded Squall of somebody he knew, but he couldn't think of whom.

He looked to Yuna. "Whatever."

Yuna giggled, which confused and aggravated Squall. "What?" he asked.

"It's nothing," Yuna replied. "I just always thought it was cute when you said that."

More silence.

Another giggle.

More silence.

"Whatever."

As Yuna giggled Squall glanced back at the table and Lightning's posture. Who did she look like? Squall couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Are you okay, Squall?" Yuna asked.

Squall looked back at her. "Why?" he asked in response.

"I don't know," Yuna said. "You just seemed zoned out."

Yet again, more silence.

"I'm fine."

Squall glanced back at the table once again. This time it was on the tip of his tongue. Who was it? It stumped him. Who could it have been?

Then he got it. Of course. It reminded him of…

"…me?" Squall finished his thought.

However, in that same instance, he felt a strong blow to the side that flipped him over the counter. Squall sat up, slightly dazed, and heard Yuna yell:

"Tidus! What are you doing!?"

"I'm sorry," Tidus' voice echoed in response. "I couldn't just sit around and watch that happen anymore!"

Squall hopped over the counter and ended up behind Tidus. "Big mistake," he said. When Tidus turned to face him, his face was met with Squall's fist, and the young ace hit the floor. Squall stopped for a moment, and then closed in to continue, but was all of a sudden being drug backwards.

Squall looked back and realized he was being pulled out of the bar by Lightning, her grasp wrapped around his collar.

"Hey!" Squall shouted at the pink-haired woman.

"Shut up and follow along," Lightning said, coldly. They got outside and she let go, but said "Get in the car." Squall did as he was told.

Lightning got in, started it and took off down the street.

The silence was heavy. It remained that way as they both did nothing but look forward through the windshield.

"Why did you help me?" Squall finally asked.

No response. Not for a while.

"Because Tifa is going to call people and so is Tidus," Lightning explained. "You don't want to be there when either of them shows up."

More silence.

"That doesn't make sense," Squall replied. "Why would you care?"

Lightning pondered that for a moment. "You're right," she admitted. "I don't know why."

The silence was heavy once again.

"Where are we going?" Squall asked.

Quiet. "Where do you live?" Lightning asked.

"Bartz and Zidane have the keys."

The noiseless air, once again, took over. Squall and Lightning continued to look forward. Squall glanced at the bitter woman. He had to admit that she was undeniably beautiful.

Lightning broke the silence. "Tch. I don't even know why you would do something as stupid as find another person to be with."

Squall thought about her words for a moment. "Wasn't my idea."

"Yet you still went along with it." Lightning shot back.

"Doesn't mean I wanted to," Squall looked at her. "I prefer to be alone."

"Me too."

That surprised Squall. This may be the first time he's met somebody who's agreed with him on that.

"It's as if…" Lightning paused. "Without people… it's like…"

"…nobody can hurt you." Squall finished her sentence. That caused the two to look at each other.

This time, they noticed something as their met – something that they missed before: the same heartache and loneliness. The same cry for help. The same need for the touch of someone similar. The same understanding of each other.

Lightning looked back forward and stopped just in time to avoid a collision with the car in front of her. The shock of both things forced her to pull over. The both of them let out a heavy sigh, the fresh memory of their eye contact looming over their minds. The heavy silence was back.

"I may have misjudged you," Squall said as he looked at the woman. This time his voice lost its qualities of dread.

Lightning met his gaze with something unexpected: a smile. "And I may have misjudged you." Her voice lacked its usual cold and bitterness.

Squall threw a smile back at her as they both looked deeper into each other's eyes.

Then, as if on cue, both of them leaned forward and their lips locked. Lightning's hand latched onto Squall's hair as he wrapped his arms around the pink-haired beauty. Their breath grew intense and their bodies impatient, as two people who had lost hope shared that one perfect moment.

Squall withdrew his lips and looked into the woman's eyes. "Lightning, I've never met someone like you before."

"Please," Lightning said with a smile. "Call me Claire."

Their lips met again and the two became happy.


End file.
